Special Board of Education Workshop and Study Session 09242025 Part 1 of 1

001Uh, are we ready? Good evening everyone. Welcome to our special uh study session on today uh September 24th. It is 502. Can we please have roll call? >> Trusty Hodes >> present. >> Trusty Flores is absent. Trustee Young. >> Trusty Amboy >> present. and President Fox >> present. >> Trustee Jacob, >> Trustee Deleó, >> Trustee Arbab, >> and we have a quorum. >> Thank you. At this time, we'll do our pledge of allegiance. The flag is behind the Prometheian. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Do I have a motion to adopt our agenda? >> Vice President Amboy, >> I make a motion to adopt today's agenda. >> Do I

002hear a second? >> Okay. have a thing in the front. >> Roll call, please. >> Trusty Haj. >> Hi. >> Trusty Flores is absent. Trusty Young. >> Hi. >> Vice President Amboy. >> Hi. >> And President Fox. >> Hi. >> Trusty Chobo. >> Hi. >> Trusty Deleó. >> Trustee Arbab. >> And a motion passes. Four. Yes. With one absent. >> Thank you. At this time, we're now down to information and study. 2A. presentations and initial EIA equity impact analysis. This will be covering our pillars one, two, three, and four. >> So before we jump in, I just want to kind of set the stage for this evening. Uh so tonight marks an important step in a process that is both necessary and deeply difficult. We are here to review the draft equity impact analysis for

003phase two of school closures and consolidations. This study session is designed to give the board the opportunity to ask clarifying questions to understand the data presented in the EIA and to begin weighing uh my preliminary recommendations for school closures and the relocation of John Finny Education Complex and I will when I'm done with this review we made at the last meeting. Um I want to acknowledge first and foremost how emotional and challenging this work is. School closures impact students, families, staff, and entire neighborhoods. None of us entered this profession to close schools. But as stewards of this district, we have an obligation to make decisions that ensure the long-term stability of Alo City Unified. The reality is that we are continuing to deficit spend. Our unrestricted funding, which is primarily dedicated to salaries, benefits, and

004staffing, is structurally imbalanced. If we do not act, this deficit will deepen and will further threaten our ability to maintain programs and services for students. That is why we must move forward with difficult but responsible decisions to reduce expenditures and rights our district. This study session is not a decision point. Rather, it is an opportunity to ask questions, seek clarity, and ensure that as a board you have the data, analysis, and legal guidance needed to reach an informed decision by December 17th. You will hear tonight from our partner consultants Keith Weaver and Shiml um who will walk us through the equity impact analysis and from our legal counsel Leslie Locker. Sorry, tongue tied. who will answer any questions about the process and requirements. We will track your questions carefully. Some will be answered tonight, others

005may require additional research and we will return at subsequent study sessions. And looking ahead at the next study session, we will also bring forward preliminary recommendations for staffing and budget reductions that align with this work. I want to thank you for engaging with this process with the seriousness and care it requires. The decisions ahead are among the most difficult a board can face, but they are also among the most important. Together, we have the responsibility to ensure Valo's schools are fiscally stable, equitable, and able to deliver high-quality education our students deserve. So, I do want to just quickly walk us through the preliminary recommendation that were that was made last week. Uh, just as a reminder, we have seven schools that we analyzed. um and myself with staff these were the recommendations that we're putting

006forward to the board to anchor the discussions but also know that there are many options within the seven. So the recommendation was that we would close Lincoln Elementary and I included in this just some analysis of some highle data points the estimated costs per student for example and you know if we do close a link in potentially where those students would would go next. Um also you know current enrollment and these this data is as of yesterday when I pulled the data um and the last one which is adult to student ratio is all employees not just teachers all employees on that campus the ratio is 6.3 to1 and I I did that comparison just so we could have a frame Cooper Elementary is another recommendation closure um a difference in estimated cost per student

007so I think it's if I go back for a quick second so at Lincoln we're spending roughly ly 15.6 and estimated per student cost is 5.9 or 5 5,900. Um there's been some significant staffing turnover over the past few years at that school. Enrollment is currently at 363. The adult to student ratio is about 13.2. Same analysis number of employees per students. One thing I did want to note, if we do close Cooper, we would be not just looking at moving all students to Highland, but we we really would be triggering an attendance boundary review because I think if we go down the path of closing three more schools this year after having just closed two schools, we probably need to take the opportunity to redraw boundaries across our district. The third recommendation is for

008Penny Cookook Elementary. Um you can see the estimated cost per pupil. There is a proximity to Stefen Manor. Enrollment as of yesterday 395. The adult to student ratio is 14.1 to1. Um going a little further, we would recommend the majority of majority of the students going to Stefan Manor. However, we would redraw boundaries. Some families that are currently slotted for Penny Cookook would potentially go to Glen Cove or Wlaw. Lastly, the Johnfiney Education Complex. Um, you can see the cost per pupil. Uh, we would recommend a relocation of all five of the programs moving together to the then vacated Cooper Elementary campus if we close Cooper. Um, we think there's an opportunity for that current Johnique complex to potentially sell, maybe look into workforce housing or even if things really start to change. We've heard

009a lot of um requests for a future middle school. John Finny Education Complex was formerly Vallejo Middle School and that could be a home of a future middle school in the out years. We also are looking at the proximity to medical partners for future programming. John Finny if they move to Cooper, we're really centrally located next to Kaiser and Summit. And then we also know because the hospitals are there, there is access to public transit to that school, which for high school kids, that's really important to have those avenues to get to campus. So that's just a reminder of the recommendations we made, the staff made to the board. And at this point, I would turn it over to our partners to walk us through the EIA. And I'm thinking as a process I will

010have some key stopping points to give the board opportunity to ask questions, clarify. >> It takes a moment to hold it down. >> You want me to put the presentation up or the report? Do you think it's worth going through the whole slideshow or should we just kind of maybe stick to some summary >> to information? How do you all How do you all feel about you saw the presentation last week? >> It's the same one. >> It's the same presentation. >> Yeah, nothing's nothing's changed. I think it's really an opportunity for uh maybe I could highlight some of the summary information, but it's really an opportunity I think at this point having heard the presentation last week. If you have questions, comments, we'd like to hear input and feedback, any concerns you may have,

011>> summarize or just quickly summarize or recap it real quick. >> Yeah, absolutely. Um >> is that okay? >> Yes, of course. And then uh maybe we could just jump to uh page nine. is kind of our our summary findings. And so, as pointed out, we looked at seven schools, the seven schools for closure. Um, we looked at a variety of receiving schools uh for the students uh who may attend these schools that were closed. Um so, in total, we looked at 16 different options and all 16 are listed here. And then what we did is we identified potential impacts um from an equity standpoint based on metrics the po the board previously adopted for our our guidance. And so um you can see in the t the summary table here we've highlighted which metrics

012if any we think may be impacted and then we've colorcoded them into whether we think um in white there's going to be no impact or or ne negligible impact in green if there's going to be a low impact. uh in yellow is a medium impact and then in red is a high impact. And so if looking at the options here um Steph and Manor at the top we don't think closing that school would have any impacts or or would have ne negligible impacts. Uh with respect to the Finny education complex we do see some impacts related to the fact that this complex houses special programs and um houses um some important demographics of students. Um but we anticipate the impacts being relatively low. Uh with respect to Lincoln, um there are a variety of of

013impacts including um the operating cost, the environmental impacts, demographics, aesthetics, and transportation. But given how few students are enrolled in that school, we again think that the impact would be relatively low. Um then we get down to Penny Cook uh to Stephen Manor. Um we see a transportation impact there that's uh that's relatively modest. Um there's a few other schools on this list. Um Highland for example um where we see some uh and Cooper where we see some modest impacts particularly with respect to transportation. And then further down the list um we see closing federal tariffs. We see uh closing federal terrorists being high impacts as well as um Highland to Cooper being a high impact. So we think those campuses in particular federal terrace and Highland uh we see some some real challenges and

014difficulties in the closure of those schools. >> Can you recap why again? >> Yeah. So in particular um transportation is a key impact. Uh the with respect to um federal terrorists to Lincoln with the lower grades and federal terrorists to either Cooper Islands or the upper grades. Uh we just see we see a burden on the transportation particularly um the number of students who may be uh requiring transportation services as well as the fact that we're splitting grade levels to two different campuses. Right? That's two two two routes effectively for those um students. Um and Highland to Cooper. Uh we speak see particular challenges because the capacity of the Cooper site um and special programs particularly with respect to special education students that those classrooms tend to be relatively um low teacher to student ratios

015and uh we don't see enough capacity to uh see Cooper accommodating all the students from Highland. Um, so that's a a particular concern. Not that it's insurmountable, but it would be challenging to try to accommodate all of those students at at Cooper. Um, so for those reasons, uh, we see some some real challenges with with those sites. Um, if we scroll up a little bit, I just want to point out the 7-Eleven committee's recommendation as well. And there is a nice alignment here in terms of the recommendations. Um you can see at the top of the 7-Eleven committees ranking uh we have Lincoln, John Finny, uh Penny Cook, Stefan and Cooper and that is how um the equity impact analysis effectively has the same grouping of schools in the top five as well. So there

016is a nice alignment of outcomes here. Um obviously we were looking at these specific equity metrics. the 7-Eleven committee had their own considerations and and priorities involved in their decision-making process, but the outcome, I think, is very similar in that we're seeing uh essentially the same grouping of schools rise to the top of both lists. So, maybe I'll pause there and uh and see if there's questions or concerns or input. >> I wanted to ask for the um if it can be reversed as well. So instead, like say you want to do if you did federal terrorists to Lincoln, if you close federal terrorists, go to Lincoln, would that be the reverse or no? That wouldn't be the same. >> Yeah. So Lincoln to federal terrorists, I think, is the the reverse, right? So that

017is listed on our number 5B on our list. So >> it's all green. Okay. >> It is all green. We don't see as as as really any challenges with that. There are a number of impacts. Um the operating cost impact is related to um the fact that a lot of these students for example qualify for programs like free and reduced lunch which is a a boost to to funding. Um the uh environment impact relates to transportation. The demographics of this campus are relatively concentrated. Um the aesthetics relate to the fact that this is kind of in the downtown. The school's located in the downtown area and kind of a commercial district. >> That's why I'm asking because to close a our only site that's in the downtown area. That's why I'm asking to make sure

018that we look at location and that to not alienate oursel if just to have a downtown place. So that's why I'm asking. So thank you. I'm glad that's there and it's auguring. Um that was my question. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Trustee Deleon. >> Um, I have two questions. The first one, um, looking at the Finny Education Complex to Val, Ohio High and Bethl. Um, you didn't I don't know if that counts as that's environmental bringing the kids back to that's not environmental, is it? So, so one thing when this analysis was done for Finny Education Complex, they were looking at an analysis of if we took the five programs and essentially closed Finny >> and moved those onto those campuses. So, that's the analysis. The analysis isn't about moving it completely to Cooper. I

019just want to clarify that. >> Well, yeah. I was I don't because like I have the question, but I don't know in what like in what um >> okay um having the kids go from Finny back to their home schools I think because I don't know where it would be on that but the impact as far as um or um not bullying like the the not crime what >> like if they're fighting and stuff like if it there's a possibility that it might go back up because we a lot of us are at Finny and those schools for a reason. So, bringing them back to their home schools, but I don't know if it was cuz I it's not environmental, but I think it would impact the schools personally. I just don't know where it

020would be put on there. I just that was the question cuz I was well like I don't know how to ask that question. >> No, I mean it's a good point. You know, when if we were considering taking Finny and putting them back onto either Vallejo, like a school within a school model >> Yeah. or at Bethl that is a consideration right so students end up going to John Finny because they've had some struggles at their home school some of it social emotional culture climate it could be bullying it could be a variety of things yeah >> why a student would go from one campus to another and putting them back in the same environment might not be good >> yeah right I just didn't know where it would go on there but I thought

021that would be an impact of some sort um and then the other one I was looking at is you I don't know how big the school actually is. I mean I've been on Penny I mean Stephan Manor's campus but so from Penny Cut kids to go to Stefan Manor you don't think there would be a cap capacity impact because that's a lot of kids those are big schools. >> Yeah. And so Stephen Manor is is a large school. >> Penny Cook is relatively smaller. >> So it was just debating like between the two which one was bigger. there. Well, there was a sort of a debate about would it make sense for Steph Manor kids to go to Penn or vice >> versa and to Steph Manor. >> Okay. The one of the considerations that

022at least for me in in saying Penny Cook to Stefen is the fact that the Stefan Manor campus one has a newer facility >> so the facility is better shape but second is if we're going to if we're combining two schools or consolidating two schools you're going to have more students on a campus >> and Stephen Manor's multi-purpose room where kids eat is significantly larger >> than Penny Cook. Penny Cook doesn't fit the kids they have now. Yeah. >> In their lunchroom. >> So imagine maybe double that size. >> Okay. >> So considering that the the the big question that comes up for Stephen Manor is where do people park? >> Yeah. >> Right. And so theoretically, we'll say it's much easier to build a parking lot than it is to build a new multi-purpose

023>> multi-purpose room. >> And >> right and I we we can always throw up the map and show visuals. >> Yeah. >> For the board. >> Well, because I was just thinking because I know I remember the first one of the first meetings we had about the closures and consolidations. We one of them we got the like a basically chart of like how many um kids each school holds and approximately saying how many that's like nine putting like 900 kids at one school. So I was like, is it not a capacity impact? That's I was like, but so it was either So when we had the chart that was just up, it was would it make more sense to move Stefan Manor to Penny Cook or Penny Cook to Stephan Manor? That's what that chart

024was. >> Yes. And I think it was looking was it I think it was 395 kids that were being moved from Penny Cook to go to Stefan >> and then some would be moved to Glen Cove and >> some would go to Glen Cove. >> Yes. >> Okay. and maybe I don't remember Highland too maybe. I'm not sure. >> Okay. Thank you. Sure. >> Also understanding that >> redoing the boundaries. So the boundaries are redone as well. So it might not be exactly the same original number of kids because when the boundaries are redone people and neighborhoods would be shifted so that it could be more equitable with numbers that way too. >> That was another question I had. What are the bound the attend I mean not it's attendance boundaries. What is >> school

025boundaries? Um but yeah those those will be have to be redone. >> But like >> but what is it >> currently? >> No like what like it in general like what is a school boundary? What what is that like the >> the area where you live? >> Okay. So that Okay. And those are lines that are drawn to >> I can project >> if you live on >> for the recording >> you go to those type of schools but if you live on this side of the freeway usually >> yeah cuz I know I know I live right next to Hogan but the way that my cuto off is it's literally on my street and it's the the houses to the left side of my street are Stephan Manor and to the right side of

026my street are Penny Cook. Oh, okay. I get it now. >> Thank you. >> So, we're looking at a map on Google Earth. We have Penny Cookook here, Hogan, Stefan. So, let me zoom into Penny Cookook first so I can kind of paint the visual of the multi-purpose room. And I know many of you know exactly what it looks like. You've been in the buildings themselves. So this little square here is the multi-purpose room. Currently for this campus, the majority of the kids are actually eating under this shade covering. That's an outdoor space. >> Okay. Um this is something that's that's been visited once before. There was two when uh Stephan Manor caught on fire. Stephan Manor was put on Penny Cook's campus right there and they didn't have a problem at all at that

027time. So, I don't see what the problem is with putting Stefan Manor back on that campus with the access roads running around it. Um, we have a major traffic situation. Even if you build a parking lot, you still have a major situation there of traffic. Whereas you have feeder schools all the way feeder streets all the way around um Penny Cookook, you have that field that accommodated two schools once before and they did a great job of it and it wasn't a problem. Do you recall when that was done? Were there additional portables brought onto that campus or was it the existing footprint? >> So I was both a parent of a Penny Cookook student and subbed at the time on at both of those schools. Um they were not a combined school. they ran

028as two separate schools >> and it would require if if we did the same thing it would require um basically the elimination of that field space and it would be have we'd have to bring in lots of polar portables and buildings. They did not share common spaces. They did not share the multi-purpose. >> It doesn't matter. >> I'm understand what you're saying. No, they did not share common spaces, but they could have. They could have if they put portables up there and they were in the same at the same time they could have shared the same space. >> So they they shared the same campus but they ran as two separate schools. >> But that can also be altered too. >> I'm not sorry we don't have our little signs. Did you acknowledge her or

029me first? >> All right. Good evening everybody. Um I hope you guys are all having a wonderful day. Um just kind of a quick suggestion. Um, since we talked about issues with kids fitting in the NPR room, fitting in the NPR room, I was kind of thinking if maybe we kind of I want to say maybe like split the schedule in half a little bit where maybe the younger kids go 15 10 minutes before the older kids or the more older kids and then from there kind of like I don't know if there's certain laws that protect that or if that's already going on but maybe kind of it's already going still >> you're on the right track. But those those things >> you are. So I'll speak to um I was principal at Dan

030Mini similarsiz multi-purpose room. >> We in order to use the multi-purpose room on a rainy day. We had to pack it tight with children sitting like close >> very close and we still had to run four lunches to do that. So, we had lunches pretty much from starting at 11 um all the way till about 1:30 to get everybody eating. And children are required to have 20 minutes time to eat, which means they've got to cycle in, have 20 minutes to eat, cycle out, clean up for the new group to come. It is um right now at Penny Cook on a rainy day because of the size of the multi, they eat in their classrooms instead of um in the multi. far too small, >> okay, >> to do to to run >> and rotate

031>> large groups. Okay. >> Right. Even to break it down because that's what we do anyway. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Superintendent. Correct me if I'm wrong, but um another issue that we have to consider is at at Stephen Manor um the structure because of the fire, it's more it's upgraded. There's, you know, better plumbing, electricity. U the whole facility itself is in better shape. >> It is of the two campuses. It's the better facility um both for the multi-purpose room, but also classroom spaces and the newness of that campus. So, up on the map is Stefan Manor. that whole dry field that you see in the image, that's what we would consider potentially laying even if So, currently, you can correct me um Heather if this is wrong, but I

032believe they only use up to this tree line. So, this tree line that way is playground. They don't let kids even go past the tree line. >> So, >> correct, because they can't supervise that far back. It's too deep. So this whole back area could be, you know, a path, a driveway down and paved into a parking lot. >> Could I know >> question to that? Can there be eras or access? Do you see where the >> Yes. >> to that road back there? >> That's we're looking into that. I don't know if you have any information. >> What road is that? >> Can I answer because I live over there? It's um basically all that's over there is it's nothing there aside from a fence that I want to say has something like California

033or USA related on it, but ultimately there's nothing behind that fence. They haven't touched it or done anything with it. I think it's just there to be there. >> Oh, that I have no clue >> because if that was access to the staff parking lot, that would be a nice access point that would eliminate traffic and congestion. Trusty Hodgees, are you >> Dr. Young? Um there is one way in and one way out. The way that's structured right now, that property line where you see the fence, >> that's that's either city property or or that's someone else's property. So, we would have to purchase that property in order to get accessibility to go out to that street. So you have a congestion. You have one way in and one way out >> there. >> But

034it seems like it it still would be cheaper if an opportunity to if that I mean we don't even know what that property is, but if we can gain access to it, it's still cheaper than building a building. I would think >> we don't have excess money to be uh shopping around >> to buy property. >> That's true. >> We're not trying to sell it. We'll sell property, but we don't have time to be buying property. That's my own opinion. While I got the mic, I'll >> Yeah, that's a gate. It's a fence that opens and it goes through the school. That's what I was gonna say. >> I was someone moved it. >> So there's two access points. So there's a frontage road in front of the school and then behind on the side.

035There's So there's two ways. >> There's actually three. Well, so if you were to use There's one to the right of the school to the far side. Yeah, there's one over there, too, which is initially already a smaller parking lot, but if you go behind Yeah, right there. That whole thing is open. >> So that those where those portables are, I believe was a parking lot at some point, but portables were added to that space. >> Yeah. But they still park like even the way the cars are right here, they still park all the way around that for the portables right there. So, initially if that I think that's a basketball court, but I think it's just I don't know if they actually have the polls or anything, but initially that whole thing goes all

036the way through. >> So, we we have been looking at parking at all of the affected sites, especially the ones on the 7-Eleven list. Um, not only from a egress ingress perspective, a fire life safety perspective, but also a budget perspective to see how much these would cost. So, we're looking at that. The prop the property or the strip of property in the back that you're referring to is um according to the Solano County GIS, it's um Solano County property that that piece of land. So, we would have to work with them to develop um some type of easement to to make that happen. So, >> but that side area on the um on the front, the side area, so there's two So, it's not so there's two different streets. At least there's access. if

037there was a way to make better access on the side road for congestion. Um because if you're adding that many more students, drop off and pickup is going to be it's already very difficult there for drop off and pickup. I've been there during those times. But to add so many more students, it's going to be even a lot more congestion. But if you're able to get to that point on the side, maybe the staff and there's a way to somehow maybe go around the back. So there's it's gated to get to that other side. No, on the pavement. Yeah. To to do like a bare, you know, a fence or something to get to the I think at least the congestion for staff to get in and out. There's two ways of egress, you know,

038not just relying on that frontage road. So if we already have those two and we can make it work for double the staff because again drop off and pickup is going to be a lot worse because of the numbers are being increased. What's the um possibility of those portables? Could they be moved in that area where the portables are now be a circular type of drop off and pickup? So, if you move the portables back to where the playground is and turn that into a circular lot where you can drop off and pick up, >> I think I think it' be expensive. I I mean all of these ideas we should be taking note of because obviously we're not going to have those answers this evening, but we should be researching if if we were

039to make Steph Stefen Manor work in a larger capacity. We need to make sure that you have the information necessary if that's the decision we make. So, we need to come back with what's possible when it comes to parking, what's possible when it comes to drop offs. Similarly, if we were to go in the other direction with Penny Cook, we need to be able to articulate what we're going to do to house a larger school there to deal with the fact that the multi-purpose room really isn't built for that capacity. Um, and we can cost those things out. the likelihood that we're able to build a multi-purpose room or get like a double wide portable multi-purpose room. Those things all have cost associated with them. Same with the parking structures. So, those are all things

040that the board will have to consider when we bring that information forward. >> Yeah. >> I wanted to say also working at a site, an elementary site daily, drop off and pickup are very, very stressful. Yes, >> it's one of the most stressful times when you have my site we have are 650 kids. But if you add to here, what would approximately be the number be with the combination? >> About 700. It depends on the new boundary. So >> six to 700 approximately. Okay. So it's still that's a lot for the little street. So Penny Cook does have better at least drop off and pickup opportunity. But then the other stressful time at every school is the lunch. if and breakfast. So if you don't have enough room, especially rainy days in the winter, kids

041are stuck inside. So there's a lot of factors here and yes, there's lots of upgrades at Stefen. But there'd be a lot of Anyways, there's just so many pros and cons to look at here. Vice President Amboy, I think you were and then and then >> um for Dr. Young Oh, the microphone. Um, I me personally, just a personal opinion, I think it would be easier to even discuss talking to the city about how much it would be to buy that one little lot thing. Wait, wait. over over trying to add a lot more that would needed to be add to to house all the kids at Penny Cook. Even if we're cuz because Okay, I listen. I listen sometimes. Wait, hear me out. Hear me out. At the board meetings, you're always talking about

042how where are we going to get the money from? We don't have this money to spend. Okay. But because Stefan Manor is newer and bigger, you're spending less money on the things that you need to figure out. Um, what is it? Drop off and pickup at that school than you would need to actually house all the kids at the school. We can't even figure out how we would I mean we can we going to have to but if it worse comes worse but it would be way more difficult and probably a lot more money to try and figure out how to house all the kids at Penny Cook than trying to figure out how we would get them picked up and dropped off. Just saying. I'm I'm just saying >> and then Oh, did you

043want to reply? >> Thank you for being u very observant on we don't have no money. If you didn't get nothing else out of that board meeting, I call you we don't have no money. But I acknowledge I acknowledge what you're saying >> and thank you for that contribution. pass baton around. Um there's enough capacity >> I think no matter what capacity we we decide um as a board we decide to close um >> the concern >> and and just in from my experience would it be possible that if we could actually provide transportation for all of the students so the parents doesn't have to come on campus in that one sense I I mean I mean schools across America have been busting kids for for years. If if we eliminate the cause of parents

044all rushing to the school site, can we allocate some money for more transportation, more um more buses so we can take care of the kids, you know, getting getting to school, coming back um versus trying to trying to figure out something so difficult in that one sense. >> I I just think it would be if we just had I I know I some federal funding is out there for for transportation. Um and it's always difficult to to get more bus drivers and you know buses themselves. However, and with with our with our puzzle, I think no matter no matter what schools we decide to close, I just think we need to amp up on transportation and to say, "Hey, this is new for us, all kids must take the bus to school." And uh one

045of the things we've been working on is investing in the infrastructure at our transportation department, our transportation yard. Um it will bring back something to the next board meeting to share some of the work we've done on our maintenance equipment there, our storage equipment, and ultimately um some of the more long-term goals we have are to secure some of the federal funding around um electric vehicles, electric buses, um storage and and generation of that energy. So, it's something that we're prepping for so that we can be nimble with supporting whatever consolidation or um challenge we may have with transportation to bring our students to school. It's not just related to consolidations, but bringing more kids to school, looking at our routes again, >> um looking at our training for our drivers and and making sure

046we have the right equipment to service the kids. Thank you. >> Trusty art. Bob is next, but I wanted to reply that that also AC if we don't have money and if the purpose of closing schools is to save money, if we are going to then acquire more money with a lot more transportation, what's the purpose of closing the school then? So, if we're not looking at all the benefits or we're going to acrue more cost, then why are we doing this? So I think we need to look in the whole picture the plus and the minus and what are we what are we taking off the plate for money but we're adding something new to the plate. So is it really why are we even looking at the plate then? >> I think I

047think there's an important distinction between capital dollars and general operating dollars. And so while we may uh we have some serious budget challenges with our general fund which funds staffing other operating costs we do have capital dollars that we can invest that we can't use on salaries and benefits and people and services and programs. So those dollars we do have we have more of those dollars than we do on the general fund side. So those dollars can be invested into our schools, into a parking lot for example, >> um into temporary structures, capital improvements including transportation enhancements. Okay. From an infrastructure perspective. So >> trust Bob. >> So just a suggestion and then a question. So the suggestion would be maybe we could um pull some people that uh because obviously Valo Charter School was

048moved on to Mir Island campus. So because from uh I have a sibling two siblings that go there and I heard from my parents that there was a lot of traffic issues. So maybe you could ask them how it was there, right? Because this is obviously not the exact same but it's a similar concept of combining the the populouses of two student uh schools onto one campus, right? Um so we could maybe pull parents uh poll families on how it worked for them and maybe if it's not as big of an issue now, we could ask them what they did to improve it. Um, also this is just something more more vague more in in general. Where are we seeing the benefits of these school closures, these school consolidations like the the I think um

049uh Mr. Fernandez said that um where are we seeing oh the the money we might have saved? Where where can we find those statistics? Could a report be made on that? Because I think that'd be really important for us to see what the results of what we're doing here. Yeah, in the report or trying to remember there is an analysis of what the savings yield with the school closure. Um each school has a different savings amount and they rough it's between 300,000 a year to maybe 900 600 somewhere around there. Um and those are ongoing savings. They repeat every year. Um the other factor for us is just s you know as a system we need to rightsize. So the capacity of our district is built for a district of 20,000 plus students and we're

050below 10,000. So that's not sustainable. We've talked about um the use of the facilities we have. So um as a as a school community, we've gotten used to because we had the space that everyone who shows up on a campus for the most part gets a classroom that's their own. And every time a classroom space is used by an adult or a student, we have to clean that room. We have to make sure there's electricity in that room. And so when you multiply that across our district with the number of portables and spaces that are in use, there's very few spaces that we're not using currently. But when you use all those spaces, you're adding operational cost. So that's part of the right sizing is we just can't continue to sustain those operational costs year-over-year

051for the population we serve. >> Trusty Deleó. >> Um that was um on the paper that we got for the three schools the estimated per student cost is that how much what is that? What is that? >> I can talk to it. So the estimated pure pupil cost is to educate the kids at that school. So that's your teacher, that's the office staff, that's the principal, that's all the component parts that are paid for. That's the additional interventions intervention teachers or if there's a teacher leader, all those component parts based on the population. >> So that's how much we're spending now or how much we'll be spending to move them. Okay. Okay. So the point especially with the Lincoln one is that's one of our that is our tiniest school currently 104 as of yesterday

052students attending that school and it's one of our highest cost schools per pupil. >> That's higher than my score. >> Correct. >> Yeah. it maybe be a good opportunity to invite questions about Lincoln um and talk about that particular site if there's any concerns around that or if that's more of a comfortable option for closure and consolidation. >> What's the capacity of Lincoln if it was full? >> I want to say 220. Yeah, we currently have a capacity about 250. >> Okay. And then what's the capacity of federal terrorists if it's full? >> Approximately >> uh 780. So the discussion what we were talking about earlier is if we eliminate a school that's central downtown if that would how that would affect the city and the community not having any location within the downtown area.

053So you're saying the max it can hold is anyways. So that was the concern earlier. >> Correct. And I think um this the superintendent has discussed some ideas for how to potentially reuse that site. Uh that may include educational purposes. Uh so it wouldn't necessarily be the case that we would be selling that site. Uh and I I see a no. Um so I think the district is anticipating we would retain that site um in that downtown location >> in the EIA in the past. What historical significance does that site hold? Because in the past it's been brought up that it's a historical site. >> Uh you mean like an official part of the like an historical registry? Is that the question? >> It was brought up in years past that it was historical to

054the >> Okay. Yeah. a landmark. >> The the Lincoln site, my understanding, is the oldest of our campuses and it goes back to the 1800s, I believe. >> Is it a landmark? >> Is it as a landmark? >> Not certain if it has that designation. >> It's not something that wouldn't say that. >> I I don't recall. >> Yeah, it wasn't. One of the metrics we investigated was whether it had a landmark status >> because I think within the last seven years when we've brought this up before people have come to us and said use that as an argument that it's your only downtown school and it's also I don't know if it's landmark but it's historical. >> Yeah. >> So we did um we did highlight the fact that it is in a downtown

055location in sort of an historical area. Um, and we uh expressed particular interest in in the reuse of that site because it is so centrally located. And I think that the superintendent has suggested some options for um for the reuse of that site that would keep it within the district's ownership. >> Trustee Deon. Thank you, Trusty Deion. Um, I just wanted to ask because I know that Lincoln moved from KK or TK >> TK to 5 to TK to TK to two. >> Yeah. So, well, this year from TK to two to TK to three, right? So, is the district thinking about like be I know because we were able to move up to third grade this year if it um keeps going like good. Is there any thoughts about moving it back up a

056grade and like keep going till it's TK through 5 again? >> I want to answer though the reason that was done about two years ago, there was transitions with principles and behavior issues. the the school needed to and the past superintendent thought the re the way to combat that well let's just make it a K2 school and we'll move the other ones to Highland. So that was the how it was thought to solve that problem was to make it a very small site that was more manageable. >> So and make Highland anyways to move the kids apart. >> Yeah. >> So I don't know if that was effective or not but that was the philosophy with the old superintendent why it was made into a K2. Um but it has the capacity of a full

057TK5. >> But I also know that not even speaking because about attendance or anything like that, but a lot of the kids that I know um when Lincoln closed from TK to 5 when it went to second, a lot of those kids I don't know any of them that went to Highlands. All the ones I know went to Charters. they went to Elite and um Griffin or MIT um or Caliber. So, I think possibly it would help the district's attendance if I know cuz we're saying it was um behavioral, but also thinking a lot of stuff I will say is done differently than it was. So, do you like you being superintendent now, do you think that's that's something you would work towards or like just or think about? >> So, the whole cabinet team

058on Thursday of last week, we actually spent most of a day at Lincoln right after our board meeting um and visited every school, every classroom, every space, and there's some really great things happening at Lincoln. I'm not going to I'm not going to stand here and say Lincoln is not doing what they need to do. they are um I the energy there is positive. The the principal in her second year has really helped turn that place around and is really doing the work that's necessary. So and part of it for me it's also separate of what we have to do here around closures. Um and you know h I we stood there and answered a lot of questions of the teachers and there's a lot of you know misunderstanding for especially for teachers when their

059school closes does that mean they lose their jobs? Not necessarily. And you know so helping them understand the process. Um, but what I took away from that visit with Lincoln, even after hearing that I recommended that Lincoln close, um, there was a sense of motivation and a sense of we're going to do we're going to make everything possible to have the best year ever for Lincoln and for the kids. And that's ultimately what we want for all our schools. >> Yeah. because we we talk about or you said how it was behavior and everything but I also understand that the behavior within the students a lot of the times when it comes to elementary comes from either environmental or it comes from what's going on within the school. So I feel like if the principal

060or staff or whoever has changed and stuff is going good there that it could also benefit the kids and how they're doing inside. And I mean because even I've said at one of the board meetings that um like my school helped me change who I am and it comes with the support and stuff like that or it's your safe space. You know you feel comfortable going to school if you like the school you're at. You feel comfortable at that school. I feel like it could positively benefit the kids for wanting a lot of kids want to stay at their whole elementary through elementary but that was just this is way different but just asking >> Jakob was next. Okay. Um, I think something we also need to be kind of thinking about is safety. I

061live right by Lincoln and when I first moved to Valo, um, my younger brother used to go to Lincoln. So we would walk from my house to Lincoln and which which is not really much of a walk but I think there's a whole prostitution issue going on in Soma and I feel like kids are curious and I've noticed that every time I drive by Lincoln it don't matter what time it is what day it is cold doesn't matter they're still out right and I know this is a school board. We can't really do anything about it. But just putting like a little black cover isn't really doing much cuz like I said, kids are curious and the kid is going to find a way. And I think it is really important for us to also

062take that into consideration and also on behalf like for the city to also take that into their own hands because it's just not it's not appropriate. It's it's just not right. And a kid shouldn't see that, right? And these like we said TK through second grade, these are babies. It's like what are what is what is that going to project in their minds? It's going to end up being normalized. It's going to end up being common when it's not or it shouldn't be. And it's just it could cause a lot of mental issues which like I said I think we we need to talk about it before we decide to go on with more grades or go on with choosing um where Lincoln stands. So yeah, thank you. >> And just so you know, the

063last few years with the 2 by 2 working with the city and with the police partnership that has brought up multiple times. So they are aware and they do have extra patrol there. And so this has been brought up many many times because again you said it perfectly. It's out of our jurisdiction. It's out of our control. So we are protective with fencing and with what we do on our campus but we have talked to the city and they are making effort and through the police as well. So that is and tomorrow when you're three of you are there uh I don't think it'll be brought up but it is something that has been brought up many many times. I don't know if it's trusty Haj Hodgeges or Trusty Flores that was next. They both

064were asking. So, do you know who was first? >> Trusty Flores. >> Thank you. I apologize for uh my tardiness, but traffic is traffic, I guess. Um >> feel free to at any time. uh you know I I'm kind of coming in in the middle of a conver of the conversation but just a couple thoughts. Um you know that neighborhood is having a lot of issues. It's it's traditionally it it's been a neighborhood that the the symptoms of poverty have existed there a long time and I've been in that neighborhood now 13 14 years you know um in that that specific neighborhood um you know my son's mom has been there her family's been there for like 45 years so Th this is not a new problem um that that the students of Lincoln have

065had to face and and shame on our city. You know, I'm going to say it. Shame on our city for allowing it to to just happen and and and and just be the status quo and and be the normal and just oh, you know, that that's that's just Valo. So, I I I think when it comes to what's going on outside of our of our doors, shame on our city. Um, with with that being said, when it comes to the school, one thing that I was really inspired with on one of the visits that I did at Lincoln was how it it's fulfilling pillar 4, community centered education, because we're there's more to schools than just the classrooms, right? and and we talked about the safe space. This is a this is a place that

066we've developed a community closet, a community pantry. Kids come for clothes, they come for undergarments, they come for food. If Lincoln's closed, what do these kids go to? You know, so that that that's one of the things that I look at at at at Lincoln needing to stay there. um a as a school site and and either expanding it, you know, making it a full uh elementary school again, you know, or or or what. But the importance of the support systems that that the current administration that's there and and the prior administration that was there have put in place for the community. You know, I if the decision is made that Lincoln would be closed, that has to be utmost in whatever follows that that that that has to be there. that that there's just

067for myself there's no uh what's the word I'm looking for? There's no um I'm not budgeting on that. If there is nothing in place to protect the kids that are there that need it the most, then I you know that that's where that's where that's the hill I'm going to stand on. So, I think as we're talking about what we're going to do with this site, whether to keep it open, whether or not, that has to be the priority of it. >> Uh, two questions. Why why is the cost per student so much higher there? And if we fill that school up, would that make the cost per student go up or down? >> I'll respond to that. just by the nature of the staff to student ratios um because it's such a small student

068body um with you know staff in in multiple roles whether that be the the uh reading specialist who's paid out of the LCRST grant or the fact that they have a an academic support provider full-time or a mental health support provider full-time. It's because it's a small school with low ratios of adults to students that the cost is higher. Um and and so it's just it's a ratio thing. Um and just a a comment about adding the grades back. Um having spent a lot of time on that campus, um you know, it that is that is an an option to continue to add. But what I'm seeing is the benefit of this really small um personal environment that is that is focused on literacy um and having children leave there as as readers. Um and

069then maybe adding preschool, you know, as a as an option on that campus. Um the I I acknowledge what um Trustee Hakobo said about the the surrounding neighborhoods, but guess what? The kids come home to that neighborhood anyway. >> They're going to see what they're going to see. >> Um and you know, taking something from that neighborhood >> is is troubling. However, if we do need to, we then we need to honor that neighborhood in the best way that we can. Um, as far as adding fourth and fifth grade back, um, I just acknowledge the small space of the playgrounds. There's no grass, no place to run. If I'm a 10-year-old boy who wants to run, there's nowhere to do that. Um, so with for the smaller children, it's it's um it's a it's a

070little it's a it's a little feels a little bigger than if I'm 12, right? So that's just a couple of thoughts on that. But the the cost is related to the ratio. >> Would it go up or down if we added more students? >> The cost per student would go down. Probably not in the range of what other schools are because it could never have the same capacity, right? It's a it's a small place. Um but if the if it were functioning at closer to capacity, the cost per student would reduce. >> In regards to Lincoln, um the from what I've seen from where I stand, the um the program is exceptional. um it's it's turned around in the last what it was from three years ago to what it is today. Um you know

071also to that benefit the the the focus on community has been so so wellreceived so positive um I think if when we're thinking about consolidating you know if it if if we decide to choose to take Lincoln to federal terrorists or something like that um I still think um we still have a great opportunity for Lincoln to be some kind of wellness center um in in some capacity if we don't if we don't sell it right away. That way the the resources the community wouldn't lose out on the resources um that is available that's going on still currently right now. Um because because that that is still important um to the community to all of us. uh we we need to focus on you know how what's what's best for VCUSD. Um and you know

072again and we not only do we serve our our students, we serve our community. So again the um we just have to keep in mind that um our our decision is just not easy. No, in in every angle that we look at it, it's just it's just it's not and I I hate that the fact that we're in this position to begin with with a population as large as Valo um and we're just we shouldn't even be here um in that case, but the reality is we are um so again um I don't want the community to lose out into resources. Would love to have something that we do are still open to give back, you know, still um community focused um and and and be positive in the because any no matter what we

073do, it's going to impact everyone. So, we just got to make sure everyone is is listening and everyone is watching. said, "Although we shifted our our our families to other schools, we're still Valo. We're still going to help each other and we're going to do everything we can to make sure it's not as um as stressful. And that's why, you know, we we're open. That's why we have our town halls. That's why we're do we're doing these study sessions. I think um for Trusty Jacobo, you missed um what um Superh Deposio said that the students are going to see it regardless if the school's open or not. They're still going to see whatever behaviors are in the neighborhood. So that's that's going to remain regardless if the school's open or not open. Um which is

074a good point. Um, but I also want like Trusty Flores said, this is one of our most vulnerable populations and v vulner most vulnerable areas within the downtown area. And I agree that certain aspects have to stay. But if we're looking to close a school, but we're saying, "Oh, we need to still keep running these programs." Well, that's cost. So if our objective is to eliminate cost by doing school closures, then are we really eliminating the cost? And then we also have to look at if we close the site completely, some of the school closures I've been through, the just the security because of the vandalism of people trying to break in because they know it's empty, the fires, the vandalism, the unhoused. I think it was like 30,000 a month if I remember correctly.

075For some of the sites it was 30,000 a month. So then again, are you saving money? So if you're still going to run programs but no students, you're going to have high security, which is going to be very expensive, how are you right sizing the district when you're spending more resources and there's no kids there. So I think we need to be very objective and I want to keep coming back to that's our only downtown spot for our very vulnerable population and for them to get transportation even if you offer transportation that's still difficult than having to be just walk to it being a neighborhood school. So I think that needs to be considered as well. Um, so I just wanted to say that with um to to add on Trusty Flores, >> one other

076thing to piggy back on your comments uh trust uh President Fox is that from what I see on the estimated savings from closure, the closure of Lincoln actually is the one that saves us the least. So I I understand that it's the most per people cost, but that's the one that is 300,000 savings and that's that's the lowest of them. So as you were saying, you know, work, you know, keeping uh programs and and and it's being cost. I mean, if we why would we keep other schools that are costing double to keep open or or or the savings is half as much by closing Lincoln and leaving Penny Cook open, right? So, you're talking about 300,000 to 600,000. So, just kind of want to, you know, point that out. >> I see. U Lincoln

077as being a a diamond in the rough. Lincoln could possibly be a fullervice community school servicing that that population in that area. Um it's a it's a it's a key place that we could put um positive um help in that area with um the support of the surrounding partners down in that area. You have fighting back partnership. You have several other people that are down in that area that are already connected to our school. So, why not do a fullervice community like you're doing at Springstown Elementary on this side of town on that side of the bridge. So, that would keep that site open. When Mitch Romeo was here, I remember him telling me that when he I think he was principal at that site at Lincoln, he said that it was uh when we

078used to do by score, it was a 800. It was a ribbon blue ribbon school right there at Lincoln. It was that high achieving of a school and he was so proud of I maybe Heather some other people that I just remember how proud he had that conversation with me about um what it could be and what it was before and it could be that again. So by you saying that Dr. Young reminded me of um Mitch Romeo's conversation about what Lincoln School used to could be or was. Um so I just wanted to add that in. Can we look now um if there's no more discussion about Lincoln at the moment, can we look at federal terrorists? Bring that site up, please. And then Cooper, thank you. Um the reason why that I feel

079the reason why that school was high performing school is because of the the people that were uh in leadership. They believed in that community. they believed in in in in delivery of instruction and they believed in their teachers that delivered the instruction. So it has something uh it has a lot to do with your leadership um how effective um your program is going to be and that's why at that particular time we had some outstanding leaders uh a principal Diane Clark rest in peace um was one of the leaders over there that did a fantastic job of putting that school uh where it was. I think also since we are part of VIBA, the Valleo business alliance, having the restaurants in the downtown, not just restaurants, but all the businesses downtown to support or maybe

080be uh um to donate or help with students, that's a high profile thing too to help schools far as donations or just support of students. I I've experienced that in the past that some businesses will even adopt a school. So there's ways to get not just money but resources or they'll pay for programs like maybe your accelerated re program that's $6,000 or they'll buy who knows what the program is. So there's ways also from a downtown perspective for businesses to adopt or help. That's just another avenue for money. Um you're at federal terrace now. Okay. Can you tell us about the numbers at the school the capacity and the current numbers please? I don't have that slide so I I can I can share that information. Um so the capacity of federal terrace is approximately

081780 students. >> Uh correct. And the current enrollment uh let me see if you the latest numbers were on the superintendent presentation. >> I'm not sure. Did I >> Oh, you didn't put it in. >> No, because I only highlighted what I recommended. Um >> yep. So, as of la last year's enrollment was uh just over 400 students >> for federal terrorists. Is that that's that seems high >> because there's only one per grade level. >> I'm sorry. >> 215. >> Yeah, sorry. 215. Correct. >> Because I know there's only one per grade level teacher. >> Yeah. Grade serving grades TK through six. >> Yes. >> Where is that proximity prox? to to Lincoln. How how far >> and then Highland and Cooper So if we were can consider that school and we're going to

082be redoing our boundaries anyways to who goes to what school the 215 could be less just doing redoing the boundaries. But I know it's been hard from hearing from the teachers from that school. It's been hard because they don't have anyone to collaborate with since there's only one teacher per grade level. there's no one to talk with or to work with. Um, so that's been a real big challenge is what I've heard for the last few years. Um, anyways, what else does anyone else have? Trusty Jakobo. >> Um, really quick, I'm kind of going back to Penny Cook because I'm just now remembering um this question I had yesterday. I was contemplating on this whole thing. Um, I completely forgot the name of the program. I say DHS. >> HHS. >> It's the death heart

083and hearing DH. >> Okay. Thank you for correcting me. >> No problem. >> Um, if anything does decide to happen with Penny Cook, what would happen to that program? because I've spoke with a lot of community members and a lot of people take that program really serious even if it doesn't affect their child. I think it's something really good that something really unique matter of fact that VCUSD has it's the only program in Salama County right if I'm correct. So we have the primary to I want to say grade six of the DHH but then for the county not just for Valo but then outside of that the county has the the older version of that. >> Okay. um that program specifically um and actually one of the I want to say one of the

084instructors was at the town hall for that program and she made a really good point which was it's not about the location it's about the program being together and that program could exist at any one of our schools that has space for it. So it you know right now it does house that you know that program is housed at Penny Cookook campus but that program if if we closed Penny Cookook that program would be put in a different location so we don't lose the program that program would travel to a different site and students who attend that program for the most part I would don't know the exact numbers but typically get transported to for that program >> by the school district. All right. Thank you so much, >> Trusty Deleó. >> Um, I had

085two questions. One, just piggybacking off of what Sophie said kind of. So, the program initially, I don't know how it works. So, the kids go during school hours or >> for the DHH. It's like a regular school day for the kids. So it's a specialized classroom program for students who are deaf and heart of hearing. So they they have a special teacher who signs. They have staff that sign, but they are learning during the regular school day. >> So it's just it's necess Yeah. So it's it's their own classroom then. >> It's their own classroom. They have an individualized learning. >> So as long as it can be fit at another school, we can >> we would have to move the program to another campus. Yes. And that's one of the considerations for all the

086campuses because the capacity of a special day class classroom is much smaller. >> So when if we have four classrooms that are special day classes with a capacity of about 12 students versus a capacity of about 30 students, we need to use more classroom spaces to house those programs. So the same number of students who might be in a classroom a class of 30 using one room. the deaf and heart of hearing classroom for that same number of students might need three classrooms, right? So, it's a different the ratios kind of um have to be considered differently. So, um, for that would we we only are able to use one campus for that program though or can it be because I'm thinking like based off of where kids live or so there's there are um

087special classrooms um designed for specialized learning needs around our district. We can't have them all in at every school, right? So the the deaf and heart of hearing program pulls students from across the district around the city, right? They they receive bus transportation because of that. And in addition to that, that um program um draws students from other districts in Solano County. We are >> we draw in students from say Fairfield or somewhere else specifically to use our deaf and heart of hearing program. >> Okay. >> And then they pay us for that service. Okay. And then the other question is like way off of not necessarily, it's still on schools. Um I know we are we um what's the word? We have a program using um what's that school called? Franklin the middle school,

088>> right? The non-public school that's going to lease the facility. So they're they're using the whole art the whole Franklin >> they're using the the buildings part of that campus is leased to GVRD. So the gymnasium, the field, that's GVRD. >> The administration building, the classroom spaces is being leased now by Rising Star. >> Rising Star Academy, which is a nonpublic school uh as a non-public school. That's a private school. So there are some differences. So some of our properties, if we want to keep like let's talk about Lincoln. And if Lincoln was no longer a just a regular school, we most likely would not turn around and sell that property. One, we've used bond dollars to renovate parts of that school. So, we don't want to put we're not going to be able to

089do that. Turn around and sell it. There's very few properties that we could sell to generate revenue. The former VCS Springtown campus is one that we could sell, which is we're in the process, but that process takes a year and a half, two years, or for the board knows that that process could take even more depending on what we sell it for. Um, so temporarily that site now is the family resource center. One, because we don't want to keep our facilities empty, so we want to use them. Um, one to avoid blight and other things that could happen. So for now, what was formerly VCS is the family resource center. Now in two two or three years, if we do sell that property, we might be relocating those services to a different site. Um so

090there are a lot of moving parts. Uh but we are limited on which buildings we can fully surplus, meaning allow us to sell or lease. Um John Finny Education Complex, your school, is one of those facilities that gives us options for revenue. Okay. >> Trav >> uh just a quick question if superintendent or you might uh know how much money do we get per student for a full school year >> the per so it's based on ADA so this is where we talk about attendance mattering. Yeah. >> Um because we are funded right now conservatively we use around 89%. So for every if if say a kid came 100% of the time we would get 15,000 roughly per pupil >> depending on grade level. >> Yeah. The grade span matters more money for high school

091kids less money. Um but on average you would say 15,000 but we're not getting the full 15,000. We're getting maybe 89% of that 15,000 because it's based off of attendance. So that's why we talking about even one percentage increase as a district going from 89 to 90 or 90 to 91 is over a million dollars every time we increase by a percentage. >> So maybe even more so than filling up the schools, we look more into improving the attendance. And I think that's where >> I agree. >> Yeah, wholeheartedly agree. >> And uh actually I did want to make a comment on the attendance stuff. Uh I think uh for example the September attendance awareness month stuff. Um it wasn't emphasized enough especially for Bethl our activities director got the stuff really late. Um so

092I think there needs to be more from the districts on promoting that and making sure schools have enough info about that because I don't think schools get enough info quick enough on that. But >> Yeah. And and just to be clear I mean we're having this discussion around closures and consolidation. If you think back to when I started, what I read to you on the beginning, this is only part of the difficult decisions the board is going to need to make by December. The second piece of it, this seems hard now. The second piece is going to feel even harder because now we're talking about cutting jobs. Um, and that's the reality because our budget deficit, the structural deficit we have, closing schools is not going to bridge that gap. it's a drop in the

093bucket relative to what we have to cut. Um, so that next phase of our discussion when we start talking about here are the staff members, here are the administrators, here are the teachers, here are the classified ranks, that's going to be brutal. It's, you know, there's no way of showing that. So when we think about the school closures component, that's one part of a bigger puzzle um for us to stay solvent as a district. What we do have, as uh assistant superintendent Fernandez mentioned, is we do have capital dollars, but that can't go to pay for salaries. I can't go to do some of these things, but we can potentially add a parking lot here, move things around there, but what we can't do is pay everybody we have at the same level that we

094currently exist at. >> Hard decisions, >> right? So, you know, we we are already starting that planning process as an executive cabinet. Um, and we're we're going pretty aggressive in what we're looking at. I've asked I've tasked the cabinet to think about what would it look like if we reduced our workforce by 30%. So let that sink in. 30% of the people you see on a day-to-day basis would be gone. >> Do you have something? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Go ahead. Um, I do. >> Yeah, I do have a question, but Well, I did have a question, but then you brought up the the third the what 30%. Um, well, I I know we increased the amount that the subs and everybody that they get paid. I I think this is more of a question.

095Why don't um dedicated subs why don't they get paid what is it year round yearly like for summer and holidays and stuff? >> They're not a FTE which is a full-time employee. They're just a as needed. >> So that's not even district. That's like higher upwise, >> right? But the dedicated subs would be receiving the sub rate that we just approved. >> Yeah. >> Yes. But they're they're not part of a bargaining group. Mhm. >> And so, um, they're they're really Atwill employees >> and they work during this normal school year. >> You said FT >> full-time employee. >> FTE. Okay. >> So, with the scenario we've have up here because we have to go through a few other scenarios with Federal Terrace, how much would be savings for it to close and where would

096the students go? Well, as far as students clue, I mean where they would go. Let me go back to So the scenario we had federal terrace kind of splitting, right? Some with the lower grades going to Lincoln, some going to Cooper, some going to Highland. The reality is as we consider closures, we're going to it is an opportunity as a district, not just based on these seven campuses, but as a district to really look at our boundaries and our residential areas because there's a bit of a reset. You know, if we if if the board, let's say you you decide to go with the recommendations I made, we're now in the span of two years closing five schools. So, we have closed two schools. We would potentially close three more schools. So, when I started,

097we had 20. We're going dropping down to 15 in the span of two years. That's going to require us to really look at the whole map as a whole, not just these neighborhoods. We we probably will do some shifting that will move our populations around a bit. And I think that would be an equitable thing to do is to really look at all the boundaries. Um, so it's hard for me to say exactly this kid's going to that school right now without really mapping it out. And I know in the report there are plot maps and you can kind of see generally next to the residential school how how far away they are and how far they would need to travel. And that's how you came up with the transportation factor. >> Right. Right. And

098so with over 200 students at Federal Terrace, there just isn't enough capacity at Lincoln, even though Lincoln's probably the closest school. Um, so we'd really have to be looking at either Highland or Cooper to accommodate at least a portion of the kids. >> Um, >> and the reboundaries like we're just >> Yeah, we have to >> What's the cost savings of closing? >> So, the estimate is uh $400,000 annually. >> 400, >> correct? >> Okay. Any other questions about that scenario? If we go to another scenario, >> we're just looking at scenarios. >> Go to another school. Okay. Any others? >> Who has a question? >> When will we look into redrawing the the maps? >> The boundaries. I mean, >> I think part of it is kind of an if then, right? So, if

099we close two, if we close one, that's going to determine what kind of drawing we need to do. It's hard to predetermine all of that without knowing where we're ending up. Um, so that's, you know, part of the push on you all to have a decision by December is there's a lot of work post decision because we just lived it and we want to do better. We know we need to do better in that post decision factor both with our community, our staff and just everything that needs to happen once a decision is triggered. I guess I've never asked this question before. In a real world, um, Bleo Unified School District with the number of kids that we have and all that, how many, um, what is our capacity of functioning as far as elementary,

100how many elementary should we have, how many high schools should we have, how many the realization is um that it's just that clear. So, as I mentioned, I've tked the staff. We're really deeply looking at staffing, staffing ratios, where we're at, but I'm also looking at our size of our district comparable to other districts. Um, so I actually spent some time today looking at one of my former districts, San Leandro, which has 8,800 students ADA. So, not that far off from where we're we're at. Um they have eight elementaryaries, two middles, one comprehensive high school, one alternative high school, one adult high school. Their central office administration, we have even though they're slightly smaller than us, we have almost 10 more managers in our central office. So when we're talking about cuts, we're looking at

101everything top to bottom, not just cutting in the classrooms or cutting at school sites. It's going to be essentially a complete reorganization and trim down of central office top to bottom. That's the real world. >> Okay, that's what we should be baking all these closures on the real world because that's what we're going to be faced with the next couple of years. And so we need to start now. We need to start somewhere. and to say that um we're um not where we should be comparatively um we need to get going. All right. Can we have Cooper up? All right. With Cooper, what um what's the what could the capacity be? The full capacity. >> Okay. Okay. So, at Cooper Elementary, the capacity is approximately 720 students >> if it was full. Okay. What's the

102current capacity? >> The current enrollment is or as of Oh, that one the superintendent has >> 325 >> 363. Okay. >> And what is the cost savings of that we can have? The estimated cost savings for Cooper is approximately 450,000 annually. >> 450,000. And where will the students go? >> I think the expectation is Highland. >> All all current 363 students. >> Correct. >> Well, although there may be some uh >> I know there may be boundaries, but that still seems a lot of >> that's a lot. What's the current um enrollment at Highland. >> So the current enrollment at Highland is just over 500 students. >> So it's a large camp large school, but it's also a campus with a large capacity. Its capacity is over a thousand. >> I have trusty Deleó is

103hers up and then for >> Go ahead. Oh >> um I don't know if do you know how many students Sean Finny is it as a whole? Do we know how many students they hold or is it per program? >> The total population currently at Finny I want to say it's just over 200 total. >> Yeah. >> So we we wouldn't overflow if we went to Cooper. It would be >> No. you John Finny h would have a lot of room there still like it's you're not going to fill that campus if we move John Finny there >> and the one thing I wanted you know when I talked about the proximity to things like you have where's where's where are the hospitals you have Sutter and you have Kaiser around like they're pretty centrally

104located around those so trying to think through you know programs in the future for John Finny students could we partner with these hospitals for example build about those CTE based programs for kids um who who want to get some workforce experience. >> Um thinking about the students at my school because I'm not going to be there but um but um I know one thing about us it's I guess it is a question but it's kind of funny on my end. One thing about us having pouches this year is when the our principal asked us or like if I go in and I ask, you know, what would help um as far as you know, lunch and stuff with the pouches, they asked our principal to um build a playground. So, if we had lunch, would

105we be able to use the playground? Well, because that's like even to this day like the they keep asking our principal to build a playground because we have nothing to do at lunch because they don't have phones. And I've seen like even driving by the schools, I'm like I want to get on their playground. Like driving past Cooper, it looks so fun. >> We would be able to use him or is that up to our principal? I'm I'm gonna come back. It's I'm gonna bring it back. >> How far How far is Cooper to Highland for the transportation? >> Oh, did Trusty Flores, did you get to >> No. >> Okay. How far is it from Cooper to Highland to to send those 300 some students? >> It's just under a mile. What's that main

106street there that they'd cross? >> Uh, Twami. >> Okay. Anything else about this scenario with Cooper going to Highland and the cost savings of about 400 some thousand? >> Anything else before we go to another scenario? >> Thank you, Selena. >> The the transportation impact on um Cooper to Highland. What what what does that look like? I'm trying to find that slide. >> So, Cooper to Highland, it was yellow in transportation. >> One slide up. Ah, yeah. Here we go. This is the transportation slide. >> So, just shy of red, huh? Okay. Yeah. Just I because I just wonder because I know that Highland is like a one-way entrance. It's a very >> Yes. >> isolated it's, >> you know, I mean, if we're if we're having issues at uh on Mar Island. >> Yeah.

107Any anyhow, that's all I need to know. Thank you. the when you start doing this this type of analogy and start putting these these two schools together and all that stuff. Um do you actually go out to the sites? >> I I have visited Highland. Yes. >> Huh. >> I have visited Highland. Yes. >> Okay. So, you know, >> Yeah, I've seen the oneway street. Okay. It's quite >> You know the oneway street. Now, have you been there uh when it's high traffic? >> I haven't been during a a drop off or a pickup. >> Yeah. >> I'm just >> It's a mess. >> Understandable. >> It's a mess. >> Then why don't we look at the opposite? >> Yeah. And then why don't we look at the opposite Highland to Cooper which is right

108there. >> Well, but when you redo the boundaries, it might not be >> because the boundaries are redone anyways regardless. So >> So I just want to share right all of these scenarios can shift based on where those boundaries are drawn to. Th this was a scenario and their analysis based on our current boundaries, not a shift of boundaries. So we we tasked them with Cooper to Highland, Highland to Cooper, not considering shifting even Penny to Stefen was not Penny to Stefan and then lop off pieces to go to Glen Cove and Wlaw. So I just want to be clear like they were tasked with a very specific set of scenarios but there is nuance in what we can do when decisions are made when we look at the big picture. So it sounds like

109what I'm hearing is there's concerns with the egress in and out of Highland. What would the savings be? Let Okay, I have questions about Highland. What's the capacity of Highland? You said over a thousand students and there's currently 500. Am I correct? >> Correct. What is the savings of closing Highland? >> Uh approximately 650,000. >> Wow. Okay. >> So that's a high ticket. >> It's a large campus >> and it's a difficult like we just heard for drop off and pick up or just to get to in and out. >> All right. And we also saw for transportation um and where they would go. I see Trusty Arbab. >> Uh, first off, could you pull up a the map of Highland? Um, just a question. What's the uh adult to student ratio at Highland? Do

110we have that info? >> I don't I don't have that same analysis because I was focused on the ones I I recommended. We can come back to that. >> Okay. Yeah, if you could, that'd be great. >> Should I say Deleó? Um talking about other what was sword >> boundaries >> um um other >> I guess options I guess um when it got brought up about because we are going to move or will possibly move the not dividers there's um >> boundaries. >> So it they I don't remember who said it about Highlands moving to Cooper the other way around. If that if that was a possibility, would Oh. Oh, that question got answered. Um I was going to say would Finny be able to fit at Highlands, but we very well would. So I

111remember >> Yeah, I remember. Anything else for the scenario of Highland? I It's a very high saving school as far as moneywise. >> Trusty Deion. >> Oh, and Trusty Haj is next. >> Oh, um, we were talking about the one-way street and everything over there. The same way we were talking about Stefan Manor and being able to open up different ways cuz I've never been to Highlands, so I don't know. There's no other way we can open anything out. >> No. >> It's in a neighborhood. >> Oh, >> I know that guy. >> Yeah. Is there is there an ability to maybe curve the parking uh along the entrance? >> So, this parking lot is ours. >> The back parking lot. And then I think there's a fence here. I mean, theoretically, could you build

112something out and extend this further? I don't know. It doesn't I mean that's step for parking but I don't think that addresses a drop off. >> What about along that oneway street? >> So the oneway street. >> Yes. So this is the one way and you can see all the stacked cars just in this image. >> Right. >> There is. So this is higher right. You go down the stairs. It's elevated. The street's elevated above the school. I think one of the important things when you're looking I mean you're looking at these situations and this is a perfect example of it right um so you've got the one long street right there are environmental things that you're going to have to change with a number of these you with these scenarios that you're looking at

113you pointed out the uh one uh earlier when you were looking at um >> Stephan Ste >> Stephan yeah Stefan manner. Uh again, so there's some environmental changes that you you would have to look at here. I mean, there's you could look at this a variety of ways that that could be either the world's longest drop off zone, right? Or it can be, you know, a clogged street. So, are there environmental changes that you can work with the city about the parking along the street? Um I'm sure there are um environmental changes that you could implement as far as uh drop off procedures. I mean, there are people that look at this and and engineer uh drop off procedures for something this large. The great thing here, you've got a lot of real estate to

114work with um for uh drop off, ingress, egress. Um when you looked at the former school, it's it's it's it's got it's pinched by by space, but again, there are some creative solutions that might be able to be looked at environmentally. a a a a major thing to look at is what do you have facility structure-wise? You have a very large facility that can house a lot of students inside of your school district, >> right? >> Not answers to anything that you're looking at, but just just an input to it. >> I mean, this has one of the largest capacity in sort of classroom spaces. Um the other the other potential, you know, factor could be do we do staggered drop off times? There are things that maybe would lessen the impact. Trusty Flores. >>

115Oh, sorry. There we go. So, so I'm just kind of trying to factor in all the different things we see in the in the in the reports and um you know looking at the summary of environmental considerations and traffic conditions whether it's Highland to ele or Highland to Cooper or Cooper to Highland type of impacts identified for both traffic conditions is an issue. So I I I think we we want to look at that too. Especially for myself, just going to the Highland campus, that that's a, you know, doubling the amount of cars, you know, um impacting not just the parents dropping off, but you also got to think about the the the residents that live there trying to back out of their driveways. And yeah, so um they're just kind of something else just

116kind of uh I'm putting everybody's ear, you know, just looking at the identified impact and traffic conditions is one of the identified impacts on this. And one one other thing that I that I want to ask and and maybe I'm just not hearing it correctly or interpret it wrong, but I feel like You all were given the task to do this EIA report based on the boundaries right now and now I'm being told, oh, but things might change once the boundaries get changed. How can I make an accurate decision on this? If I'm being told this is based on one boundaries, but once the boundaries change, well, things might change here, too. So, so can we clarify how a boundary change is going to affect this EIA report? Because at this point for myself then

117then I'm not looking at an accurate report if we're going to change the boundaries before base you know when when are the boundaries changing is it before or after the decision. So for myself I just feel like at this point this is not an accurate report if we're going to base it on changed boundaries. So, I'd say specifically with boundaries, let's use Penny Cook and Stefan as an example because we're looking at one either Penny going to Stephan, Stephan going to Penny. If based on the location of Penny Cook, let me go back to Penny Cook. There is an opportunity if we do consolidate Penny Cookook into Stefen to take those residents that are on the eastern side, northeast, southeast side that would be currently mapped to Penny Cookook and potentially not have them go

118all the way across to Stefen, but then it might be closer for them to attend WLAW or Glen Cove. So that's the potential shift if needed. Doesn't mean we have to do that. But looking at how if we took all of Penny Cook and put them all in Stefen, that might actually be helpful for our families to say, well, instead of going all the way to Stefen if you live on the eastern side, you might be closer to Glen Cove or Wlaw now versus where you were originally closer to Penny Cookook. So that's the shift. It's it wouldn't be a massive change. And then the other factor is if we are closing multiple schools, there's the opportunity to kind of look at the big picture because it might be an adjustment not just of these

119schools that are impacted but all of our schools. Is there good distribution across Valo? >> Yeah. >> Right. So it's it is an if then. It's hard for me to say this is exactly where we need to draw the line now because I don't know what would close right now. So, superintendent, what I hear you saying is is that we need to make a decision on which schools to close, then we work on the boundaries, >> right? Because I think knowing if I know if you accepted my recommendation, that would trigger us to start drawing out the maps, knowing exactly, okay, if Cooper closed, are there kids that are on the north end of Cooper that need to go north versus going south? And so, we're not going to get 100% of Cooper kids going

120to Highland. So, it's hard to make that determination without knowing direction yet. Um, and and like I said, that coupled with our reality that we face that on top of all this, we're also going to be reducing a lot of staff. And so, all those things are connected. >> Um, is I don't know if this is an option, but Is there any way for the schools that we would decide to close? Is there any way instead of Okay. Well, wait. Let me If we were to change the boundaries, would we change it for every like the whole entire Valleo? >> I think that's still to be determined because >> but like does it have to be like that or you can like you have the opportunity to only change boundaries for the certain places or

121would you have to do all of it? I think it's an opportunity for the district to kind of not just rightsize by physical buildings, but reook at everything. Are we are are families going to their nearest schools? Do we need to redraw maps? Do we need to draw them based on the size of what those schools will look like? Because if you have one school that's getting to a thousand students, but another school that sits at 200 students, that doesn't look right either. So, you have to look at the whole picture. Even though right now we're focused on these seven. >> So ultimately if you change the boundaries it would be for every single like the whole entire Valo though >> we would and we also consider things like >> you're not going to have

122to move schools because you started there and now the boundary changed like so we would honor our family's commitment to our schools. So like if you're a kid that's at WLAW and somehow the boundary changed and now you got to go to a different school, we're not going to make kids move at that point. It's usually typically applied to new enrollment. So the boundaries when they're adjusted, >> it's about new enrollment. When new families come into the system, they now have a new set of boundaries to to address. Well, because I think you just answered my question, but I was asking if there was any way, even if we didn't change the boundaries necessarily. Um, if that wasn't something in the end that we found we had to do, if there was still a way

123for us to still support parents in like if they want to, it's not necessarily where they are, go to a closer school. Even if the boundaries didn't change, is there any way that we could support the parents with doing that still though? >> So, one of the things we did with the last set of closures, we prioritized the impacted families. So, if you were at Mayor Island Health and Fitness, you had priority. If you were at LMA Vista, you had priority um priority to go back to your neighborhood school. If you were there on a transfer, priority to sort of select schools. And I my understanding and the board can correct me. I think we would try to honor those same things with any of the impacted schools that we close and we would try

124to prioritize for the current families so they don't because they're they're being displaced, right? So we want to make sure that we give them every opportunity to select where they want to go. Um and of course support that. >> Okay. um from historical history, I would be very careful about changing boundaries. And if I did go at it, I'd go at it with a soft glove. Uh because um equity is equity. And if we don't look at that, we might find ourselves in the middle of um red lining, >> right? >> To put it lightly. And we don't want to go back to that because once upon a time it was that. >> I can say that because I lived it. So we have to be very careful about how we redistribute these lines. I

125think especially for the ones we just we have closed and the ones we decide to close, those are the ones to focus on. And then if there needs to be some any adjustments for others, we'll have to discuss it. But the great point, thank you. What would since this Highland seems like the highest profitable about that we would save if it was closed, can since Highland is tucked in the neighborhood, could it be sold? My understanding, and Mr. Fernandez can contribute to that, I believe we've used some significant bond dollars on Highland. It's that same scenario we're facing with a number of our campuses because we've spent uh renovation dollars and bond money. We we've it's a kind of a bit of a trap for us because there are limitations on which buildings facilities we

126can sell outright versus say lease or try to get public agencies to come in. So, so Highland would be one of those that would be tough to sell. It just looks like such a neighborhood it would be good for houses. But um Okay. And then for Cooper, has there been a lot of bond money put into Cooper? >> Yes. >> So they both have had a lot but we're thinking of closing it though. There's a recommend >> to reuse it as John Finny complex. >> Which six years ago I was part of the board to close and reopen make the John Finny complex. >> It's only been there six years. Anyways, um next scenario. Okay. >> So, what we do know about the Johnfenique complex, um, and I think in my slide, I'm going to

127go back to it real quick. So, you know, it can be sold because that's had limited bond dollars. I think the only bond dollars were to paint the exterior. Um, it could be potentially a site, you know, based off of if we were to sell, could be housing. We could start go down the path of looking at is this something that we want to partner someone to do workforce housing. Um, and there's been a lot of, you know, energy discussion about if we grow in the future, if we do some things, there's I've heard people ask about a second comprehensive middle school. That's not to say we're ready to do that, but if we were going to go down that pathway, this site is the former site of Valo Middle School. So, it is conducive

128to potentially being a middle school again in the future, but that's a that's a different discussion that would, you know, really c you know, we would want to plan um because I think we'd be looking at phasing out maybe K6s, K8s, and building out a middle school. So, we'd have two feeder schools. Currently, we only have one comprehensive middle school as a feeder school, and that's Hogan. Um, but this gives us some options with this campus. It's one of the few campuses left that we could theoretically sell for revenue. And then, you know, on that campus, we have the Plunge as well, uh, which sits there unoccupied. Um, I've heard wonderful things about what it used to be. So, >> as far as the plunge, um, I've tried for years to see if we can

129get grants or money to repurpose, but the ADA to re the pipes and to make it ADA accessible, it would cost too many millions of dollars and there's no, it' just be too expensive to so that just sits there and rots even further because of the cost. it would take to try to and there weren't any grants to try to find. Um, so that that scenario I've tried to go through for the last seven years because it's such a wasted spot. Um, so I don't even know what possibility in the future. I remember though when we closed the old Johnfiney campus about six, seven years ago, we thought it was great having it across the street from the Vale High campus just for accessibility and for but I was just thinking also um years ago

130we were thinking we closed Franklin. We closed Franklin. One of the possibilities of repurposing Franklin was to make it the district office eventually. So the district office would be more central Valleo for more accessibility to um everyone instead of over the bridge. Well, now when I'm looking at this campus, I'm thinking we didn't do that with Franklin, but could that be the district office potentially? But another thing I've been fighting for for seven years or eight years, I don't know, seven years to get the deed to this building to show it's an asset so we can Anyways, but that's another topic. Um, so it sounds like there's another scenario that could be >> central office. Um, and it's very central Valleo. I don't know. I'm just throwing that out there. >> Well, and you mentioned

131we don't have the deed to this building. We got an update this evening from the city and it really hasn't moved at all when it comes to getting this deed. >> We pay rent on this building, I believe. Right, Mr. Fernandez? >> We do. So, we're about 40,000 >> 40,000 for the year. So we do I mean it's not 40,000's 40,000 but it we are paying rent for a building that we could be housed somewhere else. So it's something to consider and maybe we actually have a real boardroom. >> $3,333. >> So it's $3,333 a month for this payment >> if I did that right. Trusty Deleó. >> 40,000 for what? >> 40,000 a month. >> A month. For what? >> To rent this. >> But I thought we owned the building. >> But I

132was told this was >> So, we are making payments, >> but I'm trying to fight to get the deed. We are making payments. Let me >> But I thought we're >> last I'm looking at one of our last uh purchase orders for it. It was 43,000. I'm assuming that's per month, but I'm going to double check right now. So, give me >> Yes, please. because I didn't hear and I know just trying to get the deed for to show that we owned this building as an asset. So, if we ever wanted to sell it to make money, but but it's but there's so many loopholes because it's an island. It used to be a Navy base. There could be a frog somewhere. Um, something like that. Um, anyways, um, that was a joke between Dr.

133Young and I for the Hidden Brook property. There was frogs that stopped that property from selling. Anyways, where is that property being sold? Hidden Brook property. Um, Trusty Deleó. Let's get back on topic. Just had to have a little humor there. >> So, okay. So, the city owns the plunge. We don't, right? >> We do. Why is it still closed? >> Because of the ADA and the millions of dollars. All the pipes that are below are all cracked so bad and to get ADA accessibility for disabled people or any pe anyone. It would be so many millions of dollars to actually tear everything out and put a new pool in. We don't have the millions of dollars to do that. >> The building is >> I've been trying for years. It's been deteriorating for years.

134>> So, is that why it closed? It doesn't have ADA um accessibility. >> I have >> So, I was looking into grants, but we couldn't find a grant. >> They think I know, and I have everybody at my school asking me, "Oh, well, can you go to the district meetings and can you ask them if we can open the plunge again?" I got my answer, >> but I did try to with a 2 by two with the city to see if they can find grants as well. And I also with GVRD to see if they would want a partnership with the parks and recrecks to see if they would want to own, you know, to help if they helped pay for it and it was brought back to upgraded, but they weren't able to find

135a um a grant either. So I tried many different scenarios the last number of years. >> That's what you were talking about when you said for about six, seven years. >> Yes. One of the things. No, one is the lease for this and the plunge. >> That's just on the list of some of the things. Wait, so we don't own this? >> I was told we do, but we're having a hard time getting the deed. >> Oh, okay. >> Anything else for the John Finny complex? Questions or comments? >> Are there other properties of scenarios we need to look at? John Penny. >> Um, the John Finny complex. Um, can you move that slide back up to what we could use it for? >> Yeah. Oh, here it is right here. But anyway, um >>

136you say you can sell it, use it for workforce workforce housing. Doesn't that require building? >> It would >> um sell what's what what's the market like? The market is not good to be selling anything. So the only thing that looks any kind of future is a middle school or a district office >> to me. I mean, >> can we do both? >> Huh? >> Can it be a middle school and the district office? >> I've seen that scenario before. Thank you. Um, Trusty Hodgees. Yes, I've seen that. I've seen that that concept before. So, um, that's not going to cost as much money as it's going to put workforce, and we probably won't sell it in this in in this market. >> I can't tell you how much it will sell for yet because

137it hasn't been appraised. >> Don't get me started about selling property. Okay. >> Um, but as as a model, we did get the former VCS/sprown campus appraised, right? We did that appraisal already. And I believe for multif family housing, the appraisal was 11.5 million. >> Appraisal is fine. >> I know. >> Who's gonna buy it? >> 11.5. >> That takes work. I know. >> Who's going to buy? Oh, we have one in the in the in the oven now. >> I understand. >> Okay. >> I understand. >> Has been in the oven more. >> Trusty Deon. >> Um, this isn't Just a question if you could think about it because I'm pretty sure you've been on Finn's campus, right? >> Oh, yes. >> Okay. Just a question. Where would you put the actual what did

138we just call it? Boardroom like like not not even based off of money or anything, but like just thinking about the campus. Where would you put it? >> The big room when you come in, right? >> The PV center. >> Yeah. I mean, we don't know. That's down the road. You don't know. That's just a possibility. >> I know. That's why I asked like if you guys like just being on the campus had to think about it, where would you put it? >> I think that's a great room for >> to be determined to be determined. >> It's too narrow, >> but you can divide. >> We barely fit in there. And we go to school there. >> Oh, >> we'll figure it out. That's down the road. We have ants. Help, please. >> We

139have ants. Mr. Pio, we have ants. >> No, Fernand. No, that's Fernandez. >> Mr. Fernandez. >> That's Fernandez. That's not >> We need help, please. We have ants. >> He's the ants guy. >> It's stressing me out. So, and they said we've had them since like the summer. I don't know cuz I didn't have summer school, but Oh, it wasn't even at We need help. Can we go back to >> I don't want to interrupt but we we got to get focused on this. >> Can we get back to the slide of the >> that that time? >> Can we get back to the slide of the scenarios please? >> I think we've covered a lot of them. I want to make sure though that there's none we missed. Stephan Penny Cook Penn we did

140those. Viose >> that's what we're trying to make sure federal terrorist Lincoln Cooper >> Highland Lincoln Cooper and John Finny complex so it looks like we did cover all the scenarios >> and we got the numbers of the savings we got questions Mr. Fernandez and others about costs that could be associated. We also talked a lot about transportation either difficulties or location restrictions to transportation. We also talked about parking restrictions, multi-use room feeding restrictions of how to just feed our students. >> Um, so it looks like we've we've got a lot of a lot of discussion. Um, am I missing any of the Oh, and then I think a really big one was as citizens of Alo, we really hit on who the sensitive areas where we want to protect um certain groups going forward

141to make sure that programs and the help that's needed for our city, stays intact >> that we uphold pillar four >> uphold pillar four. So um everyone got is there any other highlights that I'm missing? I think we're also concerned about if a site already has a lot of students and adding more students the added congestion for drop off pickup and parking. What would that add? And we need to look on look at that. Um, can you do stagger times? You can't do stagger times for drop off pickup or would that even really help? Um, I really appreciate that we looked at going back and forth with each scenario. I think that is extremely helpful and actually for me it helped me see that actually I think maybe the opposite of some I liked even

142a little better personally. Um, so I'm glad that we have that much flexibility looking at these scenarios that going forward. And we also looked a lot about could closing a campus acrew more cost. I'm trying to remember the scenario. Some sites with just the um security and if we want to maintain programs because we're getting to a point we've closed a few campuses, we're closing more to repurpose. Do you really have that many repurposing you can do as a district and then offset the cost of your savings? Are you really saving if you're still doing all these repurposing on too many sites? So you got to look at that as well. Are they really closed and you're saving or you're still maintaining and spending money on them? So is it beneficial? And then also what

143you said which was very and I think everyone heard this 30% if we're looking at that of cutting in the budget. This is a small amount. This is more resizing the district appropriately so we have a programs and staff that works more efficient within what we have. Correct. So it's not so much about saving the money. It's more about right sizing the district. It looks like other scenarios that are coming after is going to be the more hard if I'm heard that correctly. So I would like to hear now the next steps and that we've given you all this information about even some of these going backwards the ones you suggested. Where do we go next? >> So thank you all. Well, I know these discussions are, like I said, always difficult. Um, the one

144thing for for me and the staff, so I gave us a starting point, a starting recommendation. Closed Lincoln, close Cooper, close Penny Cook, relocate John Finny. Now, part of our task is to take the information we heard this evening, and we did hear some different things. However, what I what I need to gauge at some point, and it could be individually with each of you as board members, I need to start to gauge where you are landing as far as closures and closing schools because, you know, we've talked about this and you know, we want to make a decision. Now, you all have your own individual vote in this process, but the we need guidance obviously as as a staff. Right now, I'm recommending three three school closures, but is if it's the will of

145the board to close one, two, three, four, that's something that will need to be determined at some point and fairly soon. So, we know what direction to take us take us in. The other piece for us as we're developing the other component, the the budget reductions and staffing reductions, the impact that right sizing has is if I'm looking at, and I threw a pretty hefty number out there, 30% of a workforce, keeping the same footprint, I'm now spreading the 70% I have left across our current footprint versus a smaller footprint. So, it's just all those factors play into it. Um Lincoln we showed has a higher staffto student ratio because we know that community needs services and we also it's because of a small footprint we have to provide sort of the same some of

146the same levels of staffing there's still an office manager there's a campus supervisor there's a you know all these things to hold that school open so all those factors play into it and it's something I need you all to consider are we going to spread the resources we do have right now we have 18 schools, one is the adult school, or is it next year we're looking at spreading those same resources with 15 schools? That's something we need to determine. Um, and that's the guidance we're going to need from the board. Um, but we know it's a tough decision. No one wants to close schools, period. But we're at a we're at a crossroads when it comes to our student population and all the you know all those moving parts. Yes, we want better attendance.

147Yes, we want higher performance. Yes, we want to keep our families from choosing to leave our district and all those pieces are in motion. Um but we don't always realize that immediately. So the board has heard about the the efforts we're making to change our interd district process to ensure that our families choose Valo first. All of those things doesn't happen overnight. However, our budget reality is hitting us now, not tomorrow. And so we are feeling and seeing the pressure of a county office that's telling us, yes, you exited receiverhip, but you're now on step two of going back. We've skipped step one. We're in step two of going back into receiverhip based on our budget, based on where we're at. And there's five steps, just to be clear. So, I want to leave you

148with that because I know you have a tough decision to make, but ultimately you have to remember your fiduciary responsibility. We do not want to go backwards and some of that is making these really tough calls. Thank you. I um personally I would like to um before individual meetings occur, I'd rather all of us get information together first >> far as questions and concerns that were asked tonight about all of these scenarios and the actual savings and the occurred costs that could come with um doing these scenarios. the traffic, the parking, the added busing cost, the we talked about a scenario of having Lincoln stay open and making it with all the resources and put it to capacity as a full school again. We talked about maybe the federal terrace would close because it only

149has one teacher per grade level. Where would those go? So, there's different scenarios that were brought up. Um, I think that all the concerns and questions if we can have another meeting with all of those addressed with all of us together because individually I think it gets too I didn't like how that worked last time. I didn't like the dinners. I mean, yeah, I like a dinner but I didn't like I didn't like the separati I didn't like being separate and it made me feel pitted against some people and I don't want to be put in that position again. I want us all getting the same information together the same years. Then if you want to do your talks individual, great. But I don't think we're ready for those talks until enough information and I

150don't want to feel pitted again. So I want to learn from the past and go forward with what we've learned to try to make it smoother. But I also think we've seen some issues with Marilyn Charter School going to Maryland Fitness Academy. Big site to a big site and they're really compact. Parents have had issues. Classrooms have had issues. Moving had issues. Some things are not there. Some things are there. We don't want to lose students. We don't want to lose families. And we don't want to cause more frustration than needed. Again, lessons learned. So we have to back our plans till December 17th, whatever way we can get the information and talk about the scenarios within before that and eventually work our way to that final decision December 17th. I think we have time.

151>> So I I understand it's scary. We don't want to go into receiverhip. I understand that. I don't want to put that fear, especially when we already talked about this isn't the big piece of the puzzle. The 30% and the piece that comes next is the big piece of the puzzle. This isn't going to save us a lot. So, I I want to make sure that we get that scary thing kind of see it for reality and not use it because last time that was used a bit and that also I I didn't like at all. So, I I want to be more respectful of we're all going through a lot. I want to make sure this is done or we all get the same thing then I just don't want to imp it again

152that was very uncomfortable. >> Thank you Mr. Fox. I have one point of clarification and a question kind of linked to it. Um so we have a board study session I think currently scheduled for October 15th. So it's another opportunity to come and look at the details. The final EIA report will be presented to the board and then at a subsequent meeting. There will be a board decision on any closures, consolidations. If you recall from how we handled this in phase one, we requested feedback from the board and we presented resolutions for all the different iterations or scenarios that would be available so that everybody was clear going into that meeting how that was going to work. for purposes of uh GFS JPA and their preparation of a final EIA report. Are there certain um

153items of information or questions that you have as it relates to the metrics that you want them to integrate into that report or are the questions that have been presented tonight more for the bigger picture? I think to answer each of the concerns that were brought up by everyone, the busing, the the traffic, the neighborhood schools where you can't get in and out as a one-way street, okay? Or that there's not a multi-use room to to even feed our kids at certain areas or there's not parking even for our staff at certain areas or the very vulnerable population that even if you provide them transportation, it's still going to be hard on them. So there's so many different things that were talked about, >> but I would like to see the scenario brought back and

154how could we keep Lincoln and really use it as a and bring it to a model school again. And maybe there's other scenarios doing the opposite of what it was, you know, the recommendation from the staff. >> Um, for the Cooper one, I don't know. We didn't do a lot of discussion on that one. And it sounds like the John Finny complex can go anywhere. So that pretty much I mean I understand the medical facilities are there if they were needed but I think that I think we need more for Cooper too because that's a big site and Highland is already a very big site and there's already a lot of traffic congestion. >> So are there any board members I'm not reiterating something that we need to hear by October 15th to help make

155more decisions? I also heard bring redoing the boundaries could cause more stress as well, >> but that's gonna be done after, >> right? I think the question I have is as it relates to the EIA because obviously whether Lincoln is considered to be a historical landmark is not going to be necessarily integrated within the EIA as part of one of the the enumerated metrics that the board approved over a year ago. Right? So, we want to just make sure that we're clear in terms of is this a a direction to staff to provide context and information around some of these other details with capacity, savings, security, traffic flow, drop off, pickups, staggering of schedules, etc. >> Or is or are those components something that you're expecting to see integrated into a final EIA report? >>

156I need help. because they can be done via staff communication and brought to a study session but not necessarily integrated into the EIA to the extent it's not germanine to addressing the various metrics in in the report. >> What is recommended or what is the board I'd like to hear from which which way what would you want to do? I mean, so far as the the the EIA report, it feels pretty robust so far as what was asked, what what's being put into place. Um, and I understand that there's uh concerns that that have arisen tonight. So, I think for clarity sake, if I'm not mistaken, what you what you're asking for is with the the concerns that were brought up today, how does how do we address it via the EIA report? Correct. Is

157is that more of what you would want to is is that better to to to approach it that way where concerns we have we as a board will look at based on this EIA report or is there something from the concerns that were brought up transportation uh demographic etc. Where can we find that information within the EA report? Can you recommend where we can look for that to get better more in-depth? is that >> yes I think that we're kind of we're looking at two different things because there's going to be some components of you know from the discussion tonight that aren't necessarily again gerine to what were what was addressed in the EIA per the metrics because remember we have we followed the statutory procedures for the development of an EIA now it's no

158longer required because the district is not under state receiverhip anymore but we're still following it because we're being loyal to the process and at the time you know with phase one that's what we what we followed we're in a different set of circumstances now but nevertheless still following that path right so we have our enumerated metrics that the board approved and those are integrated in here and those serve as like the various sections in this document so I guess my example of Lincoln with it being a historical landmark to the extent that that wouldn't apply or fit nicely within any of those metrics there may not be a need to have the are uh Keith and and Robert look at those details and plug them in. It it can be included. I presume, you know,

159anything can be included, but not necessarily fit within the four corners of one of those metrics, but we can also separately have instead of updating the the EIA to include those details, there could separately be staff that communicates that information at a subsequent study session to help inform the board's decision at a later meeting. Does that make sense? There's there's metrics and and data and information that they studied that's going to have to be in that report to align with the metrics that were board approved, but there's also going to be other considerations. And it doesn't mean that the board can't consider other considerations, other information, and that can be received via study sessions, one-on- ones, what have you. So, it's just a matter of if you want to integrate it into the report or

160if you're okay with having only those items that apply to the metrics integrated and then separately any other questions that are outside of the metrics addressed through, you know, staff analysis, review, feedback at a subsequent meeting. >> So, I I I I think then what what we as a board are asking and I think it would be to to the superintendent and and his cabinet for example being that we have this up here transportation right >> the EA report tells us where the high impact low impact etc >> and based on that if they're specific school sites whether it's through the recommendations or through the options given if we want to look at what the cost is going to be for for transportation for for example uh federal terrace of Cooper high transportation right high

161impact so if that's a a dollar figure that we want. I don't that's not going to come from from the EIA reporter, from the folks who th those are questions that we're going to ask the superintendent, the cabinet. So, I I think >> that's what you were kind of going for and and that's where >> you don't address that, but you've given us information on how to ask >> staff for specific things regarding that. Correct. It might. >> And if we get those data points, we can request that they be integrated into the sections addressing impacts as it relates to transportation. If we want to call out a specific example, if there's one that is particularly of concern or of focus, we could certainly um work with GFS to integrate the savings or the cost

162impacts of transportation for from point A to point B. If we look at the scenario, we could do that. We just want to ensure that we have clear direction on which ones want to be what which ones the board wants to be specifically analyzed because as you can see we have so many permutations. Yeah. >> If this then this and then that can spiral and open up 10 different other options, right? And that's why we're hesitant to talk about redrawing of boundaries and where kids would go because we have to know foundationally which schools are being closed because then it's going to create like a cascade of all these other impacts and that would make this report into this >> and we would probably have to go back and um do an addendum to add

163services um to their contract. So >> um just being realistic. So yeah, >> I think for for our purposes to ensure that we are addressing >> the desires of the board and answering the questions so that you all because that's the whole point of these study sessions so you all can make an informed, calculated, thoughtful decision. We just want to make sure that whatever data points you're seeking, we're getting those from staff. And to the extent that you do want to see those integrated into the EIA, that would be something where we'd determine, okay, where where would this fit if anywhere? So, so I think what I would recommend to you, President Fox, would be um that any questions you have and you can direct us the the the the other board members that any

164questions we have specific about something in the EIA report that we want, dollar figures, uh amounts, then we'll direct it to the superintendent so that at that next meeting that you that you would like to have as a group, >> we we all see those, right? But that's gonna but that's going to come from the district, not from >> Well, and and I think that's an excellent suggestion. It can be directed to the superintendent's office with any questions that you have. Um, just memorialize those in writing, send them off, and then maybe what we could do is use our discretion to see, okay, this seems to be a common theme among multiple board members or a pretty major concern. Why don't we draw out an example or or analyze that specific impact and plug it

165in into an a particular metric and then we can um work with Keith and Robert to to do that. That way we're not keeping it so open-ended and loose. We're we're really looking at okay is this a common theme among the various board members or community concerns. Why don't we that's the whole purpose of this very iterative process where there's a draft EIA report followed by study sessions and a final. It's to allow for this engagement, of course. And so that's where we want to ensure that we're incorporating it into the right provisions, but we're not going so far field to the extent that they don't apply back to the metrics, but we're still answering your questions via, you know, communications and data points presented by staff >> and and and on on our end

166that our questions are coming from the EIA EIA report versus just >> more correct. >> And adding more and more layers to it, >> right? and we can distill that down. But once we see everything in writing as to kind of after you've been able to kind of mold this over and think about what it is that's what are your burning questions, what do you want to see? What do you feel like you're lacking? That's going to help inform the direction we go in terms of beefing up the EIA with additional content versus having staff present additional data points at a subsequent meeting. >> Does that sound fair? >> Thank you. and trusty Hudas wanted to say something. >> Thank you. >> You two actually answered my questions. What I what I hear you saying

167is that we've got time to make decisions and if we wanted to add to the analysis, that's an opportunity to do that. If we want to narrow it down or focus in on something particular, we need to give those questions >> correct >> to >> correct. >> Yeah. And then that way you can see what we're actually if there's >> correct >> a connection or some type of a agreement of what where we want to go to focus and we have time to do that. Right. >> We do now for sequencing purposes. So the goal is to bring the final EIA report to the board for approval at the November mid November meeting before Thanksgiving. So we basically have month and a halfish. >> Okay, that's a little earlier. So we have yeah we have

168a month and a week about to be able to get all that information with understanding as well that Keith and Robert will need time to prepare any updates before it's um finally presented. So so the sooner you can get them in the better. And then what we can do is is sift through those details and determine what's appropriate to include in the EIA um for purposes of updates versus what can be again brought forward as part of a a staff presentation at a subsequent study session. Awesome. I know it's not on the EIA report. Um, but just one scenario just thought that I just thought of just um in the last hour. Um, Hogan Middle School used to be a high school back in the day. Is it possible to make Hogan a K through

169eight school? I mean just because if we're thinking about saving if you were thinking about closing um Penny Cook, you know, thinking about rather dist distributing everyone, it keeps everyone still in the same neighborhood, but just I know I know it's just such a strange and hard demographic, but >> So the current enrollment at Hogan is 85 middle schoolers. Um I don't know the overall capacity offhand, but it is a robust middle school, >> right? >> Um I'm I'm trying to imagine it with TKers. Um and it's just it it feels like a daunting combination given the size of the middle school itself, right? If it was a small middle school, I could see that because it is, you know, a large campus, but it's it's a pretty robust offering already um with a lot

170of specialized SDC classes and things like that. Um that is a that is a hefty ask for a site administrator to manage that range with so many kids. Hello. >> So I think based on timelines for the EIA reports, we can't >> throw in another score now. So I think right now we can't we shouldn't focus on hey, what about this idea? Because I think that's what kind of happened on the last go round. So, um, but it's definitely, I mean, something to think about later, but but just not, you know, and and and the only reason I'm even compliment is cuz our goal is not to give them more work or or or or add another layer to it, right? They here's what we told them. Here's the school sites. This is what they've

171come back with. But I appreciate you looking outside the box and thinking of other scenarios. >> So down the road we don't know just like when we're looking at John Fineia like what about district office? I mean it was something new that we so things are coming up that at least we're all brainstorming ideas because we're all it's a very difficult situation. So I think however way we can all try to figure this out. Yes. >> Just to clarify the cost for this lease here is 40,000 43,000 a year. >> So it's 3,000 a month. My first assumption was >> three something 3,000 something a month. All right. Thank you. >> Okay. >> But still I think we're supposed to be owning it. >> Did you have something? >> Um I I just had a

172thought that you know we will do everything we can to pull together as much information as possible that might make this decision supportive. But I don't think we're going to analyze our way to an easier decision. We're going to have this is going to be a hard decision no matter what. And no scenario and no piece of information is going to make that decision seem easier. And no research and information is going to make it magically easy. Ma magically once the decision is made now it's just going to be super easy to do it. Like all of this is hard from start to finish. Um and we just did it in a shorter time frame and it some of it was crunchy getting it done. um and not perfect. So, I am happy that we're

173doing it in a longer time frame, >> but you know, data will help somewhat, but it's not going to make the decision for us. So, from what I'm hearing, um, board members, make sure you get all scenario questions to Superintendent Aurelio as soon as possible. Um, so that that can be compiled and get to us by the October 15th um, next study session meeting. Then from that information, hopefully we'll narrow things down further to get the final EIA report by November 5th. Correct. And then from there, we'll be making the final decision decision by December 17th. So there's our timelines for the information and how to get and disseminate the information. Um, anything else from anyone? Trusty Flores, I just kind of want to make a quick comment in regards to what we're doing here.

174And I've been talking to folks recently about this. And what I would like the community to know is that I think our ultimate goal here is to build a system that's going to outlast us all, that's going to better the district, right? We're going to put a system that uh once we're all gone off the board, once the superintendent retires from the district, um you know that that system is going to outlive us. So I I ask I want to ask the community to to understand that it's yeah, it's going to be difficult. It's going to be unpopular, but we're all here for the greater good of our district. So, um I just want to thank you all for for for being in this with me. >> Yes. Thank you everyone and thank you for

175all the staff and everyone's input. Um I think we're down to announcement of upcoming meetings. Next, uh, tomorrow is our 2 by 2 at 4:30 in the, um, central chamber of city hall with our first one with our, um, student trustees. And then next Wednesday is a regular scheduled board meeting, October 1st, Wednesday. And then is it the 17th, the next regular schedule meeting? I think October 17. I can look at my phone. >> 17th. >> 15th. >> Wednesday the 15th. And then we know we have oh that's also the day of our stud it's a combined study study session and regular meeting. So I think that's am I missing any upcoming meetings >> for the board if you're interested October 6th which is a Monday from 5 to 7:45 that is the Valo City

176Council Planning Committee and they're discussing Rollingwood. So from 5 to 7:45. So it'd be good if any of you are available to attend the planning commission meeting and maybe make public comment if that's a possibility there because this is one of those we talk about the being in escrow for years and not getting the the $6 million. This directly impacts that. >> Uh Monday the 6th. Can we have Rhonda please or Michelle please send an email reminder to the board regarding that time and date? Thank you. Um anything else for upcoming or go to the order before we adjourn. Okay then. Thank you everyone. Have a great night and we'll see you tomorrow for uh some of you at the 2 by 2. We are adjourned at 7:41. >> Good night everyone.